Reel cover



S. E. BRILLHART Jan. 30, 1951 REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY FiledNOV. 30, 1946 S. E. BRILLHART Jan. 30, 1951 REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed NOV. 30, 1946 LvvE/vrm? S E. BR/LLHART A TTORNEY Jan. 30, 1951 s.E. BRILLHART REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 30, 1946 A 7' TORNEVPatented Jan. 30, 1951 UN 1 TED STATES PATENT orr lc-r.

.REEL COVER 5 amuel E. Brillhart;Luther-ville, "Md, 'assignor to WesternElectric Bomparry, Incorporated, cw .YorlgN. -Y..,*;amorporation of New.York Application November 30, lilfifserialNo. 71.3;245

. fl-Elairns.

This invention relates to reel covers and more particularly to flexibleremovable covers for cable reels.

During the manufacture of coaxial cable, certain method steps areperformed by the aid of one machine after which the partially completedcable is wound upon a reel and transported thereby to one or moreadditional machines employed for the completion of the cable. While thereels are transported from one machine to another, or temporarily storedbetween machine operations, it is important that the partially completedcables be completely enclosed in their reels.

An object of the invention is to provide a flexible cover for a reelwhich may .be readily mounted on a reel to close the reel and is readilyremovable therefrom. I U

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a cover fora reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bentsideedges for interconnection with each other forming a flexibleassembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel.

More specifically the cover is formed of sheet metal members with theiredges bent for interfitting hinge-like connections with each othertoform an assembly of a length sufiicient to surround a reel. upon theends of the members to engage the heads of the reel and to support thereel when it is rolled from one position to another. Projecting lugs areformed integral with the supporting elements of one of the membersdisposed adjacent one end of the assembly, while flexible clamps aremounted upon the supporting elements of the member at the opposite endof the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure theassembly or cover on the reel. The supporting elements of one or more ofthe members interposed between the lugs and the supporting connectionfor the clamps have projections integral therewith to be engaged by theclamps and to be held'in place thereby. Furthermore, the leading end ofthe assembly has-a tongue member to project beneath the last member ofthe assembly when placed about a reel to completely enclose the cable onthe reel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of a portion of the cover, two 'of'the members Supporting elementsare mounted here i l.

'vi'ewtalren substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 except that inthis figure portions "of the heads of a reel are shown in dotted lines;

Fig. "5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along 'the line 55 oil ig.2; and

-Fi g."'6 is a perspective View "of thecover on a reel.

'Referring now to the drawings, "the cover 'indicated generally at It iscomposed of a plurality of like members H of the cross-sectionalcontours shown in Fig.6. The members l! have small bent edges l2 at one"side thereof and large ben't edges M at the other side thereof forforming hinge-like connections between the members. As illustrated, thesmall bent edges of one member are receivable in the large bent edges ofthe adjacent member permitting the members pivotal or hinge-like"movement about the 'centerlines of these bent edges to complete aflexible assembly of as many members H as may be desired to surround aree1,'the heads '15 of which are illustrated in Fig. 4. A tongue 'memberF6 is interconnected with the adjacent :edge of the leading member 1 I,the free edge of the tongue member being bent back upon itself:asillustrated at r l l "in Fig. 1.

Pairs of supporting elements H] are formed of heavier and more durablematerial than the mater i-al employed in the *forming of the members "Hand are secured by'suitable means such as rivets to the ends of theirrespective mem- The members H are preferably formed of sheet metal,while the elements I9 are forged or otherwise formed to support the reelwhen it "is-rolled from one position to another. The ends o'f theelements is lie on the peripheries o'fthe heads 15 while other elements2%, identical in structure to the elements t9 with "the exception ortheir greater lengths (Fig. 3) and their inwardly extending flangeportions 22, are positioned between pairs of the elements I9 tocooperate therewith in supporting the 'reel, the flangeportionsservingalso "to hold the cover in place on the reel. One pair of elements 21"has integral projecting lugs 23 in the form of "hooks as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2. The adjacent elements *2! have lateral projections tl-integral therewith recessed at in their upper surfaces to receivesprings 26 of clamps indicated generally at 21.

The springs 26 of the clamps 2'! are connected to apertured flanges 28integral with the elements 2| of the last member II of the assembly. Thefree ends of the springs 26 are secured by the aid of rivet-like members29 to brackets 30. A pin 3| supported b the bracket 30 serves as a pivotfor a lever 32. U-shaped catches 33 are formed to engage the lugs 23,the legs of the catches being pivotally connected at to their respectivelevers 32. The levers 32 are hollow or substantially U-shaped incross-section throughout the major portion of their lengths to extendover, not only their brackets 30, but the adjacent portions of theirsprings 26. The free ends of the levers 32 are bent outwardly at 33 sothat the operator may readily grip the lever to actuate it.

The cover may be readily placed about the reel whether the reel issupported in its take-up position in a machine, or resting upon thefloor or other suitable support, If the reel has completed its serviceas a take-up reel, and it is desirable to cover the reel and enclose thecomplete or partially formed cable prior to its removal from themachine, the cover may be placed upon the reel and the ends of thecovers brought together beneath or near the end of the machine with theclamps 2! in open position so that the catches 33 may be readily movedinto engagement with the hook shaped lugs 23. At this time, with thelatches in open position, the levers 32 extend to the right of theirpivots 3|. The operator, prior to connecting the latches and during thepositioning of the cover on the reel, guides the tongue member I3 at theleading end of the cover beneath the rearmost member I! to completelycover the reel and enclose the cable. The clamps 21 may then be closedby moving the levers 32 about their pivots 3i to the position shown inFigs. 1 and 2. During this movement of the levers the springs 26 will beexpanded, establishing a pulling force therein which is suflicient tohold the cover tightly on the reel. It will be noted that when theclamps are in their closed positions the pivots 35 for the catches 33and the connection of the catches with the lug 23 will lie in planesbeyond the center-lines of their respective pivots 3!. To place thecover on the reel when the reel is resting on the floor, the cover isplaced on the floor in' the position shown in Fig. 3, and the reelrolled on to the cover to approximately'the center thereof. The ends ofthe cover are brought into overlapping positions and the clampsconnected to their lugs and closed as previously described.

The cover may be readil removed from the reel by moving the levers 32into open position to release the forces of the springs 26 and free thecatches 33 for removal from their lugs 23, the cover then being free tobe removed from the reel. The formation of the members II not onlycompletely enclose the reel, through the assistance of their elements I9 and 2I, but provide a flexible structure conformable to reels ofvaried diameters. The members I I being constructed of sheet metal arelight in weight and sufiiciently durable, the major wear on the coverbeing concentrated on the elements I9 and 2I which are heavierstructures and support the reel while being transported or rolled fromone position to another.

Another important feature of the reel cover .lies in the function of theclamps 2! to loosen the cover sufliciently for the opening of a doorportion thereof and at the same time hold the remaining portion of thecover about the reel, The door portion is composed of the tongue memberI6 and its two immediately connected members I I. When the clamps are intheir closed positions the door portion is held closed, but when thelevers 32 of the clamps are swung clockwise (Fig. 1) about their pivots3I the ends of the cover are free to move away from each other to freethe tongue I6 and allow the door portion to be opened. When the doorportion is open, as illustrated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1, the cablemay be tested by connecting it to a test set. The cover, when initiallyplaced on the reel, has its door portion adjacent the end of the cable.After the desired tests have been completed the end of the cable may bedisconnected from the test set, positioned beneath the cover, the doorportion closed and the levers 32 of the clamps moved into their closedpositions,

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may bemade therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising membershaving bent side edges for forming-a hinge-like interconnection witheach other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficientlength to extend around the reel, projecting lugs mounted on one of themembers near one end of the assembly, and flexible clamps mounted on themember at the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs toremovably secure the assembly on the reel.

2. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising membershaving bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection witheach other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficientlength to extend around the reel, supporting elements mounted upon theends of the members to engage the heads of the reel, projecting lugsintegral with the supporting elements of one of the members disposedadjacent one end of the assembly, and flexible clamps mounted on thesupporting elements of a member adjacent the other end of the assemblyfor connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly on thereel.

3. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising membershaving bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection witheach other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficientlength to extend around the reel, a tongue member, having one edgehingedly connected to the adjacent edge of the first member in theassembly, to partially extend beneath the last member in the assemblywhen the assembly is positioned about the reel, and means carried by oneend of the assembly to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

4. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising membershaving bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection witheach other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufiicientlength to extend around the reel, projecting lugs mounted on one of themembers near one end of the assembly, flexible clamps mounted on themember at the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs toremovably secure the assembly on the reel, and projections integral witha member intermediate the members supporting the clamps and the lugs tobe engaged by the clamps and held in place thereby.

5. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprisinglaterally extending members hingedly connected to each other forming afiexible assembly of the members of suificient length to extend aroundthe reel, certain of the members at one end of the assembly forming adoor portion, and a clamping unit actuable into closed position, tosecure the assembly on the reel to close the space between the heads ofthe reel, and actuable into open position to free the door portion formovement into open position while maintaining the remainder of theassembly about the reel.

6. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprisinglaterally extending members hingedly connected to each other forming aflexible assembly of the members of sufiicient length to extend aroundthe reel, certain of the members at one end of the assembly forming adoor portion, and clamping units, carried by a member adjacent one endof the assembly for removable connection with a member adjacent the doorportion, actuable into closed positions to secure the assembly on thereel with the door portion closed completely enclosing the space betweenthe heads of the reel, and actuable into open positions to free the doorportion for movement into open position while maintaining the remainderof the assembly about the reel.

7. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the

cover comprising members formed of sheet material with their side edgesbent to form interfitting hinge-like connections between successivemembers to complete a flexible assembly of the members of sufficientlength to extend around the reel, supporting elements secured to theends of the members to engage the peripheries of the reel heads andextend outwardly beyond the members when positioned on a reel to act asthe supports for the reel, projecting lugs integral with the supportingelements of one of the members adjacent one end of the assembly, andflexible clamps mounted on the other end of the assembly for connectionwith the lugs to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

SAMUEL E. BRILLI-IART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 699,322 Hobbs May 6, 19021,406,303 Tomkinson Feb. 14, 1922 1,808,018 Charles June 2, 19312,172,055 Brown Sept. 5, 1939 2,172,056 Bureau Sept. 5, 1939 2,402,289Lear et a1. June 18, 1946

